Committees
Community Programs Committee Mission and Goals:
Our Mission is to provide service programs for our greater Houston community with a focus on our Military Community.
Our Goals are to have yearly programs which our members may participate in, a few of our recent activities are listed below:
- Bingo parties for our Veterans at the VA Hospital
- Fisher House food support
- Wreaths Across America
- Houston Food Bank
- Tailgate with a Hero
- Adopt a Family at Christmas
If you would like to volunteer for the Community Programs Committee, please contact Jennifer.
Environmental
Environmental Committee Mission and Goals:
Our Mission is to develop programs which emphasize current environmental issues which are important to our SAME membership.
Our Goals are to provide at least two monthly meetings annually for our general membership and additional committee meetings with specific interest to our environmental committee members.
Our committee meetings are held quarterly as lunch meetings to provide a venue for members and non-members to gather and
- Listen to speakers presenting environmental subjects of significance
- Give member companies an opportunity to share innovative approaches to environmental challenges
- Invite regulators to discuss new and proposed changes to existing environmental regulation
- Provide a setting for public agencies to discuss new environmental developments and business opportunities
- Network with corporate, public and military individuals sharing the same interest in the environment
Meetings are open to everyone with an interest in environmental sciences
Meetings provide a forum for potential new members to explore the benefits of joining SAME
Hold joint meetings and events with other environmental associations, promoting the advantages of SAME membership to potential companies and individuals.
Gouri Mohan
Fugro
713-369-5439
Please contact committee chair Gouri Mohan for information about volunteering at these events!
STEM
The Goal of the Science Technology Engineering and Math (S.T.E.M.) committee is to support the Posts’ endeavors to inspire primary and secondary students to enter the engineering career field by offering cohesive outreach programs to raise awareness of both the profession and the Society.
Each year the SAME Houston/Galveston partners with several organizations to support current and ongoing STEM activities and to develop new opportunities for its members to engage in the community. Opportunities range from creating partnerships to attending tours to judging competitions. Unfortunately, due to the recent pandemic several opportunities were temporarily put on hold while others continued virtually. As 2022 approaches the Post is working towards safely re-establishing STEM events and gearing up to participate as activities begin to re-open.
No matter your availability or ability to support events in person or for setup there is an opportunity for you to get involved! If you are interested in joining our efforts, please reach out to the Committee Chair for a list of upcoming events and needs. We look forward to partnering with you to support STEM education and outreach.
Major Events or Activities:
National Programs/Committees:
- MathCounts
- Learning for Life
- West Point Bridge Design Contest
- Future City Competition
Committed Local Programs
- Math Counts
- Future City Competition
- Viva Technology
- COH Water Festival
- Houston METRO
- Sam Houston Boat Tour
- Goodwill
- Science and Engineering Fair of Houston
- St. Ambrose
List of Partnerships and Events
The Houston/Galveston Post works together with several partners in order to help reach students and participate in the community. If you are interested in the forming a partnership with the Post and need STEM support, please feel free to reach out to the STEM chair for more information. Several ongoing partnerships are listed below:
The Post has a history of collaborating with St. Ambrose to take the students on educational tours and participate as judges during their science Fair each year.
HOUSTON METRO
The Post works closely with the Houston METRO to organize tours of their Rail Operations Center and a history of transportation in the Houston area.
Each year the post reserves a tour for St. Ambrose students and post members to go on a one-of-a-kind tour of the Houston Ship Channel, home to one to of the busiest and most diverse ports in the world. Students and Post members get to interact and talk about the Port, engineering and participate in a scavenger hunt.
MATHCOUNTS is a nationwide middle school mathematics competition. Each year the post helps by supplying judges for competition. MATHCOUNTS help bring a challenging and fun environment to math. It is a great way to interact and support students in our area.
Future City is a project-based learning program where students in 6th, 7th, and 8th grades imagine, research, design, and build cities of the the future. Each year the post helps by supplying judges and reviewing the student ideas as well as their presentations. This is wonderful hand-on experience for anyone looking to get involved.
Goodwill
Goodwill’s purpose is the educate, train and hire individuals with barriers to employment to help them thrive. They connect people, families and communities to improve lives and to meet the workforce needs of today and tomorrow. It was then a natural connection for the Post to team with goodwill to bring a half day STEM learning event to the children of Goodwill employees. This program is still in development and a great place to get plugged in if you are looking to get involved.
Ramon Herrera
Midtown Engineers
713.862.8848
Committee Members
Post President
Immediate Past Post President
Post President-Elect
Chair PP&F and any interested members.
Mentoring / Scholarships
Committee Mission and Goal:
Our Mission: To provide Mentoring and Scholarship Programs for the Houston/Galveston Post.
Our Goal: is feed the S.T.E.M. pipeline from elementary and middle school and high school to colleges and universities and ultimately into the A/E/C workforce.
These programs include, but are not restricted to:
- Providing College Scholarships to:
- Full time college students
- Graduating High School Students preparing to attend college
- Working Members attending college part-time
- 2024 Scholarship Application Form
- Sending High School Students to SAME Engineering & Construction Camps
- US Army Camp, Vicksburg, Mississippi
- US Air Force Camp, US Air Force Academy, Colorado
- US Navy Seabee Camp, Port Hueneme, California
- US Air Force Camp, Scott Air Force base, Illinois
- US Marine Corps Camp, Camp LeJune, NC
- Sending Future Post Leaders to SAME National Post Workshops
- Sending TAMU Student Chapter Leaders to SAME Student Leadership Workshops, JETC and supporting TAMU Student Chapter activities
- Developing mentoring opportunities within the post for members and fellows to work and learn together
- Support Local and Regional Science Fairs
- Support Math Counts
- Support Scout Merit Badge Programs
- Provide Career Development Guidance in business and SAME for Students and Young Members
Current Needs:
Donations to the Monthly Education and Mentoring Fund and Scholarship Raffles
Support of the Ken Haveman Annual Scholarship Golf Tournament and the Post Sporting Clay Shoot
If you are interested in joining the committee, please contact Ramon A. Herrera.
TBD
Programs
Program Committee’s Mission & Goals:
Our Mission is to provide quality programs that appeal to the membership which is essential to the continued strength of our Post and the Society.
Our Goals are to target at least two programs each year focusing on each or Society Strategic Goals. Programs can include meetings, seminars, workshops, etc. National views programs in the larger sense to address such items as education, readiness, infrastructure, environment, partnerships and research to name a few. In the Houston-Galveston Post we have formed separate committees to address these specifically and utilize our Programs Committee to address our monthly meetings.
If you are interested in joining this committee, or have suggestions for future programs, please contact our program committee chairs!
Quiddity, 713.353.5253
Weisser Engineering & Surveying, 281.579.7300
Committee Members
Representative from each Public Agency Member
Public Agency
Public Agency Committee Mission and Goals:
Our Mission is to provide our Public Agency members support by the private industry and other public agencies in accomplishing their governmental mission.
Our Goal is to have each of the Public Agency Sustaining Members provide a permanent representative on the committee; this group with chair leadership will define “issues” which the Post will provide member teams to assist in recommending solutions for these “issues” from private industry and other public agencies. Key Post members or private industry experts will be utilized on a case by case bases and will be led by Public Agency members. Our intent is to respond to the requests of our Public Agencies for improvement in areas they have identified.
Small Business
Small Business Mission and Goals:
Our Mission is to assist our Small Businesses and our Public Agencies in matching the needs of the Public Agencies with the skills possessed in our Small Business Members.
Our Goal is to connect the Small Businesses with teaming partners and government agencies through targeted events.
Committee meetings and events are open to all members. Our events include assisting Galveston District, USACE with Industry Days and other focused events with our Public Agency Members.
Public Agencies
Small/Minority/HUB Departments
Websites
City of Houston (Including Houston Airport System)
Harris County (includes HCTRA, HCFCD)
University of Houston Historically Underutilized Business (HUB) Program
Justin Laporte
Midtown Engineers
713.862.8848
Committee Members
Post President
Immediate Past Post President
Post President-Elect
Chair PP&F and any interested members.
TAMU Student Chapter
Student Chapter Committee Mission and Goal:
Our Mission is to assist the TAMU Student Chapter with Society information, Programs, Post member support and financial assistance.
Our Goal is to have a vibrant Student Chapter with participation of the Houston/Galveston Post members. The Houston/Galveston Post proudly supports our Student Chapter at TAMU. We promote student membership and provide mentoring, networking, and professional development to assist members in their transition from Student to Working Professional through scholarships, internship and entry level positions.
Student Chapter Faculty Advisors: John Walewski, Ph.D. and Chuck Wolf, Ph.D.
Young Professionals
Young Professionals Mission and Goals:
Our Mission is to provide our Young Professionals, aged 39 and younger, both education, training and networking opportunities.
Our Goals are to reach and involve all the young professionals within our Post and those who are in other societies. The education, training and networking begin with young professionals hosting Post meetings, developing fundraising strategies for the members of the Post and attending targeted events with our Public Agencies and our Fellows.
In 2015 our Post was instrumental in the establishment of The Young Member Initiative (“YMI”) committee. YMI brought together the young professionals from multiple societies and associations in most cases at social events. The YMI’s vision is to develop the next leaders of SAME and the other organizations both regionally and nationally by focusing on inclusion, growth, development and recognition.
Everyone is welcome to the YMI and Post events. They are geared toward the goal of getting more young members involved, connecting those members to mentors, and providing them with opportunities to gain experience into leadership positions within the organization.
Events to join include professional development lunches, happy hours, sport outings like the annual Top Golf Networking Event, volunteer events, tours of engineering developments around Houston and intramural sports.
The YMI, through each of the organizations also works with the surrounding universities that have either new or well established student chapters, like our SAME TAMU Student Chapter. It provides opportunities to mentor and train the students into leadership positions. This sets up a good base of leaders coming out of the universities to serve under the YMI locally, nationally and internationally.
Contact Ethan or one of the Committee and get involved.
Engineering & Construction Camps
Engineering & Construction Camps Committee Mission and Goals:
Our Mission is to send deserving rising 10th, 11th and 12th grade high school students to our SAME Engineering & Construction Camps and send Camp Mentors to the camps too.
- US Army Camp, Vicksburg, Mississippi
- US Air Force Camp, US Air Force Academy, Colorado
- US Air Force Camp, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois
- US Navy Seabee Camp, Port Hueneme, California
- US Marine Corps Camp, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina
- Our Goals are to send at least 4 students and one mentor each year.
SAME has been supporting science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) events for over 30 years and conducting camps for almost 20 years. Our camps are world-class and feature a very impressive record of producing thousands of engineers and STEM leaders. They provide a rigorous experience for students interested in exploring STEM skills and careers.
Campers gain a sense of what it takes to become a STEM professional and what options exist to explore that interest from high school to college and beyond. Each camp has a unique curriculum that features firsthand activities conducted in a competitive environment that promote teamwork, leadership, project management, and problem solving. Campers are supervised by mentors made up of professional engineers, engineering students, military personnel, educators, and other STEM professionals.
These mentors are committed to inspiring campers to pursue STEM in college. Mentors are also resources for the campers, providing long-term connections for our alumni.
Download the 2024 Camps flyerShaun Sallee
R.G. Miller
281.921.8760
Golf/Clay Shoot Committee
Golf/Clay Shoot Committee Mission and Goals:
Our Mission is to raise funds for our Mentoring and Scholarship requirements.
Our Goal is to not only raise enough to support our annual Mentoring and Scholarship requirements, but to also provide additional fund to add to our corpus which is invested with the SAME Foundation. The Post holds two fundraising events annually: Clay Shoot in the spring and the Kenneth J. Haveman Scholarship Golf Tournament in the fall. Both of these events have significant funding and participation from our Post Sponsorship Program, with additional funding through individual member participation.
The Post hosts an annual golf tournament each November as the single largest fundraiser for our scholarship program. The event is named the Kenneth J. Haveman Scholarship Golf Tournament to honor his past significant contributions. The tournament has multiple sponsorship opportunities and welcomes our public agency guests.
David Migl
Neel-Schaffer
713.783.7117
Awards
Awards Committee Mission and Goals: Our Mission is to support the leadership in providing timely awards to the members, awards for our ROTC units at supported Universities, awards for our golf and skeet events and other awards as requested.
Our Goals are to ensure that the Houston/Galveston Post always meets our commitments at all events. The normal awards presented by the Post are:
1. Out-going Officer / Committee Chair / Director awards for Installation Banquet (January)
2. Member of the Year Award and Young Member of the Year Award (January)
3. Keynote Speaker Award at Installation Banquet (January)
4. ROTC Awards (April)
5. Sustaining Member Firm – Large and Sustaining Member Firm – Small Awards (June)
6. Public Agency of the Year Award (June) 7. Golf Tournament Awards (November)
Post Leader Development Program
Leader Development Committee Mission and Goals:
Our Mission is to provide quality leadership training to our younger members through team building events, interviews with senior business and governmental leaders, leadership readings and discussions and other activities over a year. The program will last a year with monthly activities throughout the year.
Our Goals are to prepare young professionals for post and business leadership positions. Once completed each graduate will be offered a committee or elected role in the Houston/Galveston Post, membership is the Young Professional Committee and Young Member Initiative.
Program Overview:
Team Building Event
Leadership Book Discussion
Monthly Sessions (includes book discussion and meeting with local leaders to learn about their career journeys) Other activities: Icebreakers, Myers-Briggs Personality Testing, Service Project with Veterans, Public Speaking Coaching Class graduation during January Installation Banquet.
2024 Texas Region Leadership Development Program Application
If you are interested in participating in the next class, please e-mail Yvonne or Mike.
Dan Menendez
Huitt-Zollars, Inc.
281.496.0066
Membership
Membership Committee Mission and Goals:
Our Mission is to ensure the Post membership is monitored monthly and all changes are provided to Post leadership; all departures are contacted to determine the reason to see if we can keep them as members and all incoming members are welcomed to the Post.
Our Goals are to reduce departures and grow the Post in all categories of membership.
Be sure to designate the Houston-Galveston Post as your primary Post Affiliation on the application form!
Individual Member: This category include membership for the following individuals: Govt./Military, Private Sector, Academic/Non-Profit, Student, Retired, Life Member.
Sustaining Member Firms (Private Sector): This category is for private sector companies to join SAME.
Public Agency Membership: This category is for public agencies to join S.A.M.E.
Non-Profit Organization Membership: This category is for non- profits to join S.A.M.E.
Communications
Communications Committee Mission and Goals:
Our Mission is to provide current information on meetings and activities to our Post members, utilizing the weekly E-Blast, providing meeting information to both SAME National for the National calendar and providing information to the Post webmaster for the Post calendar.
Our Goals are to provide information in a timely manner to ensure members are kept abreast of all the Post activities.
Resilience
Resilience Committee Mission and Goals:
Our Mission is to directly support the second SAME Strategic Plan goal to “Build and Sustain Resilient Communities.”
Our Goals are to provide both committee meetings and 2 general membership meetings addressing resilient solutions that contribute to government and private sector collaboration to minimize the impacts of and enhance effective response and recovery to natural and man-made threats.
Veterans & Servicemember Support
Veterans & Servicemember Support Committee Mission and Goals:
Our Mission is to fully integrate military, government and Disabled Vets into the A/E/C industry and support their networking and transition from military to private sector or public agency employment.
Our Goals are to work collaboratively with organizations like NextOp, Warrior Transition and other programs with similar goals and expectations of assisting transitioning veterans and servicemembers into our local A/E/C community. We intend to provide support for Community Programs Committee and present 2 general membership programs each year.
Communities of Interest
SAME’s Communities of Interest offer members a chance to engage nationally with other professionals focused on a particular technical field or demographic within joint engineering and the A/E/C industry.